Covered-spring structure



Aug. 28, 1923. A 1,466,617

- W. B. FOSTER COVERED SPRING STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 21, 1919 wmwmswm' dam a s Aug. 28, 1923.

W. B. FOSTER COVERED SPRING STRUCTURE Filed Nov, 21., 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 28, 1923.

I Un'i'rsosrarss Mam oirr cs.

WILLIAM B. ros'rnn, or price, yonn -nssre-nor. no roswna notrnnns- MANU- FACTURING central-tr, or n rron nnw YORK, econronnrrou or NEW'YORK.

- COVERED-SPRING srfeuorunn.

' Application filed November T (ZZZ 707mm. may-concern:

Be it known that, L l Y nmmu -B. Fosrnn, I

a citizen of the United States, and a resi dent of Utica, in the county of ,Oneida and certain.

State of New-r York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Covered Spring Structures; and I do hereby that the {following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, Which Will. enable-others l skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,,fand. to the reference numerals marked thereon, .which form part ofthis specification.

spring structures-Where coiled springsare placed side by side to form acushionseat or a mattress and wherein the springs are covered with flexible material to render the springs noiseless and to preventtheirwearing upon or cutting the casingor upholstering proper. I I

The purpose of my invention is toprovide an article of the class described of: new-and improved construction and yet of such simple form that it maybe readily and e'con'omically made but will be very efficient in op: eration.-

A further object is to of flexible material for each separate spring and to have this coverin in the forth of a short tube placed upon the spring with" the endsof thetubes at opposite sides of the coiled springso that the tubingcover'sthe top and bottom of the spring. I

Another ob'eet is to have the tube formed and arranged as'above mentioned but of such size relative to the spring that the partly compressed by the provide a covering spring is held tubular covering. I I y I A stilljturther purpose is to combine a plurality of coiled springs covered as above mentioned into a complete structure by means that will hold the coverings'to the several springs and at the same time hold the end coils of adjacent springstogether in proper place.

Further advantages and purposes of this invention will appear from the specification and claims herein. I p 1 Fig. 1 is a plan or pattern'view of a long tube of flexible material with dotted line declare present -:in vention vrelates to covered 21, 1919. Serial No. 339,636. I n'iarkings showinghow thelong tube is to be 'cut into theshort tubes used in; the embodiment of my invention I 1 I 2 is an isometric projectiondshowing a singleunit or short tube-distended but Without a coiledspring therein. 7

Fig.3 is asi nilar view ofl a tube with a coiled spring therein.

of a nd'preferably" used iii-this invention. Fig. isavertical section taken trans versely of the: tube shown in} 3 and its contained and compressed spring. f Fig. 6 is an isometricpro ectionof apart of'a covered spring structure embodying my to the axis. of the spring .as; a whole and will bebtlar 'cr diaineterthanthei'central portiOIl l2.

For the also shown'the spring'lOas being formed Without a knot ortie inthe end coil 13 b ut having an in'wardl extending free'end-piece a ltwhich' construction of; spring forms the subject-matter of a. co-pendingapplication and need not be further described herein.

' I The tubi'ilar covering 11 will he formed of flexible material such as cotton cloth or the like as by bringing opposite edgesof a long I stripof such cl 0th together as indicated in Fig. lrand securelysewing through both layers of cloth near the adja'eentedges as by a row. ofstitches 15. .The length of the tubular material will then be 'cut into the units-ll'ofthe proper length as by cutting the long tube along the dotted lines 16 shown in Fig. 1;. hen distendedso as to be substantially square the transverse section a will appear aboutas shown in Fig. 2. The

1 narrow strips 1 7 of material beyond the row of stit h s lS mayhosvever beanywhere in or rectangular in tubular covering purpose of illustration I have o0 Fig; 4C, isa side elevation of a coiled spring either side or the top or bottom of the tube without interfering with the operation of the tube and as plainly suggested in Fig. 6.

As far as convenient in assembling", this seam will be placed at the top or bottom of the tube when the tube and the spring are assembled. a

A spring 10 and its unit of tubular covering 11 will be assembled in any desiredway either manually or by machine so as to have the covering over the spring with the open ends 18 of the tube at opposite sides of the spring 10 andwith the spring'arrange'd about midway of the length of the tube. It will be understood that a unit of the covering is considerably longer than the greatest diameter of the spring 10 so that "even the top and bottom end portions 19 of the tube extend at opposite sides of the spring somedistance bey nd the end coils 13 of the spring while the sidewalls 20 of the tube-being as long as the top and bottom ofthe tube will obviously eiitend much further beyond the portions 21 of the end coils that are" adjacent said walls 20. y The relative size of a tubular covering 11 and its spring 10 will be such thatthe spring has to be compressed from its fully extended length in order to be housed within the covering 11- and that the covering 11 being formed of sufliciently inelastic materm will of itself form the means for keeping the spring 10 partly compressed. A convenient and efficient proportioni'ng of the parts is indicated in'Fig. 4 where the spring isexpanded to its'full height and Fig. 5 where the sprin'gi's held partly compressed by its covering.

When the spring has been provided with itscovering and before such a covered unit of the structure is further combined with otherunits it will appear about as shown in Fig. 8 with the flexible material of the unit strained or held taut across the topand bottom of the spring and through the central portion of the side walls 20 of the covering, that is". through the portion extending between the two'points 21 on either side of the spring. The extended top and bottom end portions" 19 of the covering and the end parts of the side walls 20 will be more or less folded or limp and obviously adapted to be readily bent back towards the sides of the spring which will occur without special manipulation when the desired number of covered units 10 and 11 are assembled in rows and then into pai'allel rows to form a complete structure as shown in Fig. 6.

The desired number of these covered units 10 and 11 will be assembled side by side and permanently but yi'eldingly connected by fastening means embraeingthe adjacent porti'on's oftlie end coils 13' of adjacentsprings 10', said means being" attached after the coverings are in place upon the springs and Springs.

so outside the coverings 11 and grasping the wire of the spring through said covering. In this way the fastening means 22 operate not only to hold the springs in desired position in the complete unit but also to hold the several tubular coverings 11 in proper place permanently upon their respective For such fastening means the shallow U-shaped metal clips common in the art may be used by having their ends ex tenddown into the springs and then bent together in an obviousway.

The tendency of the spring ,to expand within the tubular covering will hold the covering in place upon the spring without trouble until the different covered units are brought together into the assembled struc ture.

Preferably when the covered springs are being arranged and permanently connected into rows, the units will be arranged so that the bpen ends or directly against an adjacent unit in the row nor directly at the angle to engage the spring inan adjacent row.

In other words the units as far as posthe tubes will not be placed 1 sible will be assembled so as to have the open ends of the tubes project into the interstices between the units. In this assembling process the loose projecting ends of the tubular covering will be folded over or crowded back towards cover the springs sulii'ciently to keep them from striking each other or making a noise. The" amount of material in the projecting ends of the tube, however, is suilicient to the springs so as to cover the spring even though a unit be as sembled with the open end next to an adjacent spring; I V

A covered spring. structure constructed to embody my invention isdurable in construction and effective in operation in that 7 it will be noiseless "under all circumstances and will prevent the springs from striking or wearing upon each other or upon the casing or'other upholstering covering.

The feature of having the springs held under partial compression provides a structure that is sufiiciently yielding to be comfortable but without the great extent of sag or give before the person is sustained that is present in a cushion or other structure composed of equally soft or resilient springs. It will be noted that this initial compression is obtained without metallic binding or holding members and is in fact obtained by the use of the covering which heretofore has been used mainly to prevent wear or noise from the springs.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a covered spring structure, the combination of a single coiled spring and a separate covering entirely enclpsing said single spring and consisting of an openended tube of flexible material, said tube v being of slightly greater length than the width or" the spring and having its ends at opposite sides of the spring and project ing therebeyond and loosely brought together to close the ends of the'tube.

2. In a covered spring structure, the

combination of a single coiled spring and a separate covering entirely enclosing said single spring and consisting of :1V tube of flexible inelastic material, said tube being of slightly greater length thanthe width of the spring and having sides of the spring and projecting therebeyond and being of a transverse size to hold the spring partly compressed.

its ends at opposite Y 3. In a covered spring structure, the

"combination of a single coiled spring and a separate covering entirely enclosing said spring and consisting of an open-ended tube of flexible inelastic material, said tube beingof slightly greater length than the Width of the spring and having its ends at opposite sides" of the spring and projecting therebeyond and there loosely brought together to close the ends of thetube, said tube being of a transverse size'tohold the spring partly compressed. I

In witness whereof I have aflixed my signature this first day of November, 1919.

WILLIAM B. ros'rna. 

